Cylinder adjusting mechanism for printing presses



CYLINDER ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR" PRINTING PRESSES' Filed March 5, 1947 A. POTDEVIN May 22, 1951 3' Shuts-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

U M W T r A A. POTDEVI N May 22, 1951 CYLINDER ADJUSTING MECHANISM F08 PRINTING PRE'SSES Filed March 5, 1947 3 Sheets-:Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

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H N m r r A 2,554,345 CYLINDER Abw'sfmc macmmxsu Pea i Rmiaq'Passszs Filed March 5, 1947 May 22, 1951 3 Sheets.-Shcet '3 Ill & A

INVENTOR. ADOLPH POTDfV/N ATTOQNEY Patented May 22, 1951 CYLINDER ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRE-SSES Adolph Potdevin, Garden City, N. Y., assignor to Potdevin Machine Company, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 5, 1947, Serial No. 732,641

7 Claims.

This invention is directed to' an improvement in printing presses with particular reference to lateral register adjustment and circumferential color register for multi-color printing presses. The invention is applicable to both multi-size and single size presses.

More specifically my invention provides mechanism for effecting endwise adjustment of the plate cylinder and; impression cylinder of a printing press couple; or plate cylinder, blanket cylinder' and/or impression cylinder of a printing press couple, whereby both or all units of the couple are moved endwise simultaneously and equally across the path of the web in order to adjust the color register of the printing produced by a number of such couples in a multi-color printing press. This adjustment in the language of the industry is, termed sidewise register adjustment.

A further object of my invention is to provide in this mechanism means for allowing the units of the couple to be adjusted to vary the center distance between the shafts of the cylinders of the couple for various printing adjustments required, without interfering with or disturbing the sidewise register adjustment.

A further object of my invention is the provision of mechanism for effecting lengthwise or circumferential adjustment by moving the cylinders of one Or more couples with respect to the cylinders of the other couples, thereby longitudinally displacing the various color units on the web.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational fragmentary view of one side of a four-color printing press embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view partially in section of one of the printing couples of Fig. l, on a somewhat larger scale showing details of the mechanism for effecting'sidewise register adjustment, of the cylindersof a couple;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig: 5 is an elevational view partially in section showing details of the mechanism for effecting circumferential adjustment;

Fig; 6' is a. view similar to Fig. 4, showing a modification, and

Fig. 7:isa view on the line 'l-l of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings in detail and for a moment particularly to Fig. 1.

This figure of the drawing shows part of one side of a printing press. For. illustrative purposes I have shown, a. four-color press. Inasmuch. as

printing presses of this general type are well.

known, I have simplified the drawings as much as possible for clarity of description.

The machine illustrated in Fig. l is a fourcolor machine and comprises four printing couples, each couple having been illustrated as comprising a plate cylinder 2 and impression cylinder 4. The shafts of these cylinders are designated 5. and 3. respectively.

The side frames of the press are designated l0 and the plate cylinders are so mounted therein, as will be brought out hereinafter, that they are adjustable endwise for sidewise register adjustment, and circum'ferentially for circumferential adjustment.

The impression cylinders 4 are so mounted in the press side frames that they are adjustable endwise for sidewise register adjustment, and laterally for impression adjustment.

The plate and impression cylinder of each couple are geared together through gears l2, while the several couples are geared together through helical gears [4.

Upon reference to Figs. 2 and 4 it will be observed that the shaft 8 of eachimpression cylinder 4 is mounted in bearing boxes IS in the side frames of the machine. These bearing boxes are movable in the machine frame transversely of the axis of rotation of the impression cylinders, thereby to vary the center distance between the plate cylinder shaft 6' and impression cylinder shaft 8, for impression adjustment.

It is to be understood that the two ends of each impression cylinder shaft are mounted alike so as to maintain the necessary parallel relation' between the plate cylinders and impression cylinders when effecting impression adjustment.

For effecting this adjustment I secure a threaded non-rotatable stub shaft It to the bearing block. Threaded upon this stub shaft is a bushing 20 which is rotatable on the stub shaft, but has no movement lengthwise. To rotate the bushing 20 I provide worm gear 22 keyed or pinned to the bushing, the gear being driven by worm Wheel 24 which may be manually rotated.

It will be apparent therefore that if the worm wheel 24 at each end of an impression cylinder be rotated, the bushings 20 will be rotated to move the stub shafts l8 endwise thereby to effect lateral bodily movement of the impression cylinder for impression adjustment.

The impression adjustment mechanism just described is operative without altering the plate cylinder setting in any way and without interruption of the driving mechanism, so that this 3 adjustment may be made while the press is running, within the limits of proper gear meshing of gears l2.

However, it is desirable to provide for sidewise register adjustment to provide for sidewise displacement of the printing on the paper web. This necessitates simultaneous endwise adjustment in the same direction and to the same extent of the cylinders of the couple.

In connection with this phase of my invention, it will be seen upon further reference to Figs. 2, 3 and 4 that one side frame ID of the press, at each couple is provided with an elongated pinion sector 26 extending transversely of the axis of rotation of the cylinders of the couple and fixed against endwise motion in the frame. This adjusting pinion-sector or sidewiseregister-adjustment member is capable of being oscillated in the side frames of the press.

As shown in Fig. 3, a quadrant 28 is rigidly secured to the shank of the pinion sector 26. This quadrant is slotted as shown at 30 to permit the threaded stub shaft I8 above mentioned to pass through the quadrant without interfering with its oscillation.

The quadrant 28 is provided on its periphery' with worm gear teeth 32 which are in mesh with worm 34 mounted on manually actuated shaft 36. The spur gear teeth 38 of the sidewiseregister-adjustment pinion-sector 26 extend continuously completely across the couple. The pinion-sector teeth 38 mesh with spur rack teeth 40 formed in a bushing 42 with whichone end of each of the shafts B and 8 is provided. Consequently by rotating the shaft 36 in either direction the quadrant 28 will be oscillated to oscillate the sidewise-register-adjustment pinionsector 26 thereby to impart simultaneous endwise movement to the two cylinders 2 and 4 of the couple, to effect the desired sidewise displacement of the printing on the paper web.'

Itis understood that if the printing couples comprise cylinders additional to 2 and 4, that each of the cylinders will be similarly equipped and similarly shifted.

As so far described therefore, the cylinders of each couple are adjustable endwise for sidewise.

register adjustment; and the adjustment of the center distance between the plate and impression cylinders 6 and 8 for impression adjustment is effected by moving the impression cylinder With reference now to Fig. 5. This figure of l the drawings illustrates the end of the platecylinder shaft 6 of one of the printing couples of the press.

With reference to Fig. 5, it will be seen that mounted on the shaft 6 and keyed thereto is a circular disc 44 provided with a radially extending slot 46.

48 designates a gear hub mounted slidably on the shaft 6, and in this hub is a pin 50 carrying a block 52 which always engages the slot 46 in the disc 44. It will be apparent therefore that rotation of the hub 48 will effect rotation of the shaft 6. It will be apparent also that the hub :28 may be moved endwise without effecting movement of the shaft 6; and conversely the shaft 6 may be moved endwise without moving the hub, for the sidewise register adjustment of the couples above described.

Threaded into a bushing '54 fixed against rotation in the machine frame by screw 56 is a threaded rod 58 the inner end of which is so attached to the hub 48 as to translate axial movement of the screw to the hub without necessitatingrotation of the hub.

Clamped to the gear hub 48 by clamp ring 60 held in place by bolts 62 is the gear 14. These gears [4 which are part of the gear train for driving the various couples are helical gears.

It will be apparent therefore that when it becomes necessary to effect adjustment of the cylinders of a couple relatively of the other couples, to provide longitudinal displacement of the various color units on the web, or what has been defined as circumferential adjustment the handwheel 64 of the couple to be adjusted is turned to rotate the screw 58 thereby to move the gear l4 endwise, to impart angular motion tothe cylinder being adjusted, due to the helix angle of the gear. This adjustment is effected while the press is running, and this motion of the cylinder will be added to or subtracted from the inherent rotary motion of the press.

It will be appreciated of course that the motion produced by the helix angle sliding will take place only in the gear so moved and adjustment will be effected in but the one couple. The gears intermediate adjacent couples will not be effected, nor the helical gears of thepreceding or following couples.

It is understood also that inasmuch as the cylinders of each couple are geared together by individual gear trains l2 for each couple, circumferential advance or retardation of the plate cylinder of a couple will effect equal advance or retardation of the other cylinders of the same couple.

Reverting to the sidewise register adjustment to effect sidewise displacement of the printing on the web. As pointed out in connection with the description of the apparatus illustrated in- Figs. 2, 3 and 4, I provide for this adjustment by simultaneously adjusting the cylinders of a couple endwise in the same direction and to:

the same extent. In the construction shown in Fig. 4 it will be appreciated that the reaction to any pressure exerted between printing cylinders must be transmitted to the shaft journals, then to bushing 42 and then to bearing box I6. Actual axial movement which takes placewhen the adjustment is used takes place as sliding motion between the bushing 42 and the bearing box It and this axial motion is the only one which takes place between these two members. With light printing pressures or intermittent'pressures no difficulty is experienced.

However, with heavy constant pressures the adjustment may be difficult to operate due to the heavy load between the bushing and box.

To minimize this difficulty the construction illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 is contemplated. ,In this construction the bushing 42 is fixed and the cylinder shaft is axially slidable as well as rotatable therein. I retain the pinion-sector 26, but instead of the teeth of this member engaging teeth on the bushing l6, the shaft to be adjusted is equipped with a collar 19 which is carried by the shaft and equipped exteriorly with teeth 12 meshing with the teeth 38 of the pinion-sector 26. The shaft to be adjusted is rotatable thecollar but axial movement of the shaft; rel.-

ativelyto the collar is prevented by the shoulders I4 and I6. Thisarrangement' therefore providesv ment resulting in sidewise displacement of the printing on the web, by moving the cylindersof any printing couple-desired endwise.

It will be seen also that the center distance" between plate and impression cylinders may be varied for impression adjustment by moving the impression cylinder laterally bodily toward or' away from the plate cylinder.

It will be seen furthermore, that provision is made for moving the cylinders of any couple circumferentially with respect to the cylinders of other couples for lengthwise or circumferential adjustment for longitudinal displacement of the various color units on the paper Web.

All of these adjustments may be made while the press is running or standing still.

It will be appreciated furthermore, that in effecting the sidewise register adjustment and the circumferential adjustment described all cylinders of the couple are moved equally and simultaneously, thus having no tendency to disturb make-ready of the press.

The plate cylinder shafts are readily removable. This is important in that these shafts must be removed every time a cylinder size is changed in a multisize press. As above pointed out the adjusting screw 58 is mounted in a bushing 54 carried in the machine frame or in a bracket attached to the frame. By removing the screw 56 the threaded member 58 and bushing 54 may be moved outwardly together with gear l4 and gear hub 48 until the gear abuts the frame or the bracket It]. At that time the hub 48 will have moved clear of the shaft 5 so that the cylinder and shaft may be removed as a unit.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts hereinabove described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a multi-color printing press the combination of a printing couple comprising a plurality of driven cylinders, a bearingbushing for one end of each shaft of the couple cylinders, the cylinder shafts being fixed against endwise movement in the bushings but freeto rotate therein, rack teeth on each bushing, a pinion-sector mounted in the machine frame and having teeth extending lengthwise thereof, the sector extending across the end of the couple so that its teeth are in constant mesh with the bushing teeth to operate upon the bushings simultaneously, a quadrant rigidly secured to said sector, worm gear teeth on the quadrant periphery, and a worm in engagement therewith, whereby the quadrant may be rocked to effect endwise movement of the couple cylinders for sidewise register adjustment.

2. In a multi-color printing press the combina-, tion of a printing couple comprising a plurality of driven cylinders, a bearing bushing on one end of the shafts of the couple cylinders, the

81' shafts being: rotatable in the bushings: butt held; against longitudinal: movement therein, rack teeth on the periphery of said bushings, a pinion:-. sector extending across the end of the. couple and having teeth extending continuously lengthwiseof the sector and in constantmesh-with the. teeth of said bushings, means for moving a cylinder: of;

the couple bodily laterally for adjustment of the distance between cylinder centers with the pin-- ion-sector and bushing teeth, and means for os cillating the pinion-sector to move. the couple cylinders endwise for sidewise register adjustment;

3. In a multi-color printing press the combi nation of; a printing couple comprising a plurality of driven cylinders, bearing bushings for one end of the shafts of the couple cylinders;

teeth on the exterior of said bushings, a pinion-sector having continuous rows of teeth ex'-- tending lengthwise thereof, said sector extending across the end of the couple with its teeth in constant mesh with the teeth of said bushing, a bearing block for each end of the shaft of one of the couple cylinders, a threaded rod attached to each of said blocks, a rotatable bushing threaded upon each rod, said rotatable bushings being held against endwise movement, means for rotating the rotatable bushings thereby toadjust the center to center distance between predetermined cylinder shafts of the, couple, a quadrant rigidly secured to said pinion-sector and provided with an arcuate slot for the reception of one of said threaded rods, and means for rocking said quadrant, whereby the pinion-sector is actuated to adjust the couple cylinders for sidewise register adjustment and for center to center adjustment.

4. In a printing press the combination of a printing couple comprising a plurality of driven cylinders, a fixed bearing bushing for receiving one end of each shaft of the couple cylinders, a non-rotatable collar carried by each shaft in which the shaft is rotatable, teeth on the exterior of each collar, a pinion-sector extending across the end of the couple the teeth of said pinion-sector extending lengthwise of the sector constantly meshing with the teeth of said collar, each of said shafts being provided with a stop at each end of its collar, whereby as said pin-sector is actuated each cylinder will be adjusted axially relatively to said bearing bushings for sidewise register adjustment.

5. In a multi-color printing press, the com bination of a plurality of printing couples geared together for simultaneous operation, each couple comprising a plurality of driven cylinders, an externally toothed bushing carried by the shaft of each of the cylinders of each couple, and a pinion sector, the teeth of which extend longitudinally thereof, extending transversely of the cylinders of each couple and its teeth simultaneously engaging the teeth of said bushings, whereby rotative movement of the said sector will effect simultaneous endwise movement of the cylinders of the corresponding couple for sidewise register adjustment.

6. In a multi-color printing press, the combination of a printing couple comprising a plurality of driven cylinders, one end of each shaft of the couple cylinders being equipped with a bearing bushing in which the shaft is rotatable, the bushing being so connected to the shaft that endwise movement of the bushing will transmit endwise motion to the shaft and its cylinder; rack teeth on the exterior of said bushings; and an oscillatable pinion sector extending across the end of the couple, said pinionisector having teeth extending longitudinally thereof in constant engagement with the rack teethof said bushings, whereby rotative movement'of the sector will impart simultaneous endwise movement to the couple cylinders for sidewise register adjustment.

7. In a multi-color printing press, the combination of a printing couple comprising a plurality'of driven cylinders, one end of each shaft of the couple cylinders being equipped with av bearing bushing in which the shaft is rotatable but immovable longitudinally of the bushing; a pinion sector, having teeth extending lengthwise thereof, mounted in the press frame and extending across the end of' the couple, each of said bearing bushings being equipped with rack teeth, the said rack teeth constantly meshing with the teeth of the pinion sector; a quad- 8, rant secured to said sector; and means for oscillatingthe quadrant thereby to effect simulta neous endwise motion of the couple cylinders for sidewise register adjustment. 7

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record-in the 10 file Of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Date j ADOLPH POTDEVIN.

Barber Sept. 23, 1941 

